Propelling mechanism for bicycles and the like.



H. J. SHERRILL.

PROPBLLING MECHANISM FOR BIUYGLES AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 22, 1912.

1 ,079,444, Patented Nov. 25, 1913.

11v VENTOR.

WITNESSES:

Z? HJ. Sherri/A ottoman sin-iii? PATENT onnicn.

'HARJRY J. SHERRILL, OF SALIDA, COEDRADO.

inma e.

To aZZ whom 2'15 may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY J. Smzmuml,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Salida, in the county of Chaii'ee andfitate of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Propelliug Mechanism t'or Bicycles and the like, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in propelling mechanisms for bicycles and the like, and its object resides in the provision of an adjustable mechanism of this character in which simplicity o1-'constructi m is combined with great eiiiciency. I attain this object by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings in the various views of which like parts are similarly designated, and in ivhich Figure 1 represents a side-elevation of my improved bicycle, Fig. 2, a fragn'lentary side View of the driving wheel of the same and adjacent portions of the bicycle frame and the. propelling mechanism, Fig. 3, a vertical section taken along the line 3-3 Fig. 2, Fig. 4, a transverse section taken along-the line 4-4- Fig. 2, Fig. 5, a horizontal section along the line 5-5 Fig. 1, and

Fig. (5. a side elevation of the parts of the propelling mechanism connected immediately wit-h thedriving-wheel of the vehicle.

Referring to the drawings, the nul'ncral 2 designates the rear or driving wheel oi. a icycle, the hub 3 of which is rotatably nounted upon an axle 19 secured to the rear fork of the diamond frame at which, as usual, is at its front end supported upon the steering Wheel 5.

Formed integral with the hub 3 'at op posite sides of its center, are the members (3 of two power-transmission clutches 7 and 8, the other, rotary members 9 of which are loosely mounted upon the hub. The latter is fm'thermore provided at one of its ends, .vith the wheel 10 ot a hand-brake, the strap of whiell attached at one end to the frame ol? the bicycle, as at 133, and at its opposite end to a cord 1% which connects it with an operating lever mounted on the frame beween the seat. 16 and the handle bars W The opposite SllIffKis oi. the two members 6 and 5) of each of the clutches are formed with radial ratchet teeth which are Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 22,

Pa tented 3' ov. 25, 1913.

1912. Serial No. 710,827.

tive continuity of the two members when the driving member 9 is rotated iu-a it'orward direction, and which when the last mentioned member rotates in the opposite direction, will cause it to move loosely on the hub ol. the wheel 2,indepe1idcnt of, its correlative.

.Nuts 18 are applied at tlie threaded ends of the axle 19 to secui'e it to the rear fork of the frame, and springs 20 coiled around the sand axle between the driving mei-nhers- 9 of the two clutches and the parts of the frame to which the axle is attached, serve to normally maintain the correlative mem bers oi the clutches in their interlocking position.

The rotary members 9 of the two transn-iission-deviccs are each provided \vitlrtwo circumierenl ial grooves for the receptio. of ropes or bells Q1 and 22, which at one of their ends are connected to the respective member and which, extending in opposite directions through the respective grooves, are attached at their opposite ends to the short arms of tread levers 23 which are iulcrumed at opposite sides of the fral e 4c- The ropes 21, which in the operation of the mechanism serve to rotate the clutch-mom hers to which they are attached, by unwinding from the same during upward movement of the arms of the levers with 'which they are connected, are secured to the latter at points adjacent theirouter (,Xi'l'Gll'lltlQS, and the ropes which are provided to rewind the rdpes 21 on the members 9 by rotating the la ter in the opposite direction dulringp downw nd movement-of the said arms, are a tlached at he lower ends of arms 24 which extend downwardly from the outer ends of the lovers in angular relation to the same. The long arms of the levers are bent inwardly to bring the points at which the propelling force is applied, substantially in alinement with the points at which said force is transmitted to the driving wheel of the vehicle, they carry at their tor-ward ends, pedals Q5 of the usual construction and they are connect ed to oscillate silmiltaneously in opposite directions, by means of a cord 26 which runs over a sheave 27 on the top bar of the l. ic vcle frame. The it'ulcrums of the two lovers 23 are established by means of pinions 2S, prefer;

slanted to interlock for securing the rotaably of the lantern type. which are mounted between two pairs of parallel racks 29 and 30, extending at opposite sides of the frame 4:. The racks 29 of the two pairs are fixedly secured to the frame as at 31, and the other racks 30 of the saine are slidably mounted in bearings 32 on the frame and connected with a lever 33 which is fulerumed on a bracket 34 secured to a suitable part of the frame. A segment 35 on the top bar of the frame is provided to secure the lever 33 in its'ad usted position.

The levers 23 are rovided along one of their edges with series of teeth 37 which mesh with those of the pinions 28 upon which said levers are supported, and guide bars 36 fixed on the levers in parallel relation to their toothed edges, serve to main tain their teeth in mesh with those of the respective pinions by engaging the latter at their lower sides.

By the above described arrangement, the

pinions 28 may, by adjustment of' the lever 33, be moved simultaneously along the pairs of racks between which they are-mounted, without changing the position of the tread levers, and the rider is thus enabled to vary the proportional lengths of the arms of the two levers in' accordance with the amount of power he desires to apply to the driving vzheei of the vehicle.

When. the rider moves the upper one of the pedals 25 downwardly by pressure of the foot, the pedal on the other lever is simultaneously raised by means of the cord 26; the downward movement of the long arm of the one lever about its fulcrum, causes by the upward movement of its short arm, the cord 21 to unwind from the driving member 9, with which it is connected and to thereby impart to the ame a rotary movement in the forward direction which movement is through the instrumentality of the I member 6 of the clutch at the same side of the vehicle, transmitted to the hub of the driving wheel 2. The simultaneous downward movement of the short arm of the tread lever at the opposite side of the vehicle will at the same time cause the cord 22 to unwind from the driving member of the respective clutch, thereby rewinding the propelling cord '21 on the second member, to impart a rotary movement to the latter when the said lever subsequently moved downwardly by pressure upon its pedal. It will thus be seen that in the operation of my invention, the motive force is continuously transmitted to thedriving wheel of, the vehicle by alternate actions of the drivingmembers of its" two transmission clutches, and that the proportion between the amount of energy transmitted tn the driving wheel and the amountofpower applied alternately to the two pedals, may be regulatedto a limited degree, by-t-hedriver. while the vehicle is in motion, by adjustment of'the lever 33.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and-desire to secure by Letters-Pat ent is 1. A vehicle comprising a frame, a rotary driving-wheel thereon, two pairs of arallel racks, one rack of each pair being xed on the frame and the other havin a linear movement on the same, a lever or movmg the movable racks of the two pairs, pinions meshing respectively with the racks oi the said pairs, levers having teeth in mesh W; the respective pinions and connected to osci late in unison in opposite dircctlons, andv means for converting alternate'motions of said levers into a rotary movement or the said wheel in one direction.

2. The combination with the driving wheel posed of clutch members fixed on said wheel,

' and rotary driving members adapted to separately transmit a rotar movement to said wheel in one direction y interlocking engagement with the respective clutch members, two oscillatory tread levers, a pair of cords attached at one of their ends to one of said levers and at their opposite ends, to one of the said driving members, a pair of'eords attached atone of their ends to the other lever and at their opposite ends to the other drivin member, the emails (if each pair being woun upon the respective driving member in opposite directions whereby the cord unwound from the said member by the movement of the respective lever in one direction will be rewoundupon the same by a rotary movement impar ed to the said member by the unwinding o the other cord during the movement of the lever the opposite direction, and means adapts to convert a downward movement of one of said levers into a lsimultaneous upward movement of the'other ever.

3. The combination with the driving wheel of a vehicle, of transmission devices composed of clutch members fixed on said Wheel and rotary driving members adapted to separatelyvtransmit a rotar movement to said wheel in one direction y interlocking e gagement with the respective clutch members, two oscillatory tread levers, means adapted to convert a downward movement of one of said levers into a simultaneous n ward movement of the ooher lever, per is attached at one of their ends to the saidv levers and wound upon the said guiding members to rotate the same by unwindin therefrom during downward movementwii the respective levers, and means aotu by movement of'the said levers in the o posite direction to rewind the said c0! 3 upon the res ective driving embers 4. A vehic e comprising a same, a rotary driving wheel thereon, levers connected to oscillate in unison in opposite directions, means for converting alternate motions of Ill' said levers into a rotary increment of said In testimony whereof I have afiixed my' Wheel in one direction, fulcriims for said signature in presence of two witnesses.

levers adjustable on said frame, and means HARRY J. SHERRILL'. for adjusting said fulcrums, adapted to nor- Witnesses: 5 maily secure them in their adjusted posi- G.J.R0LLAN1 ET,

tions on the said frame. P. RHOADES. 

